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Draptoresponsia Case Study #1: A Tale of Two Blogs

Naturally, draptoresponsics do not like me, and quite frankly...I can think of no higher compliment.

Patient ID# 0001

I was posting on Julian Abagond's blog (notably here and here), when this utterly adorable drapto there started following me diligently, trolling the blog to the point that I'm now beyond flattered. I do not respond to him when he posts, of course (I was actually speaking to someone else); after all, one does not "engage" draptos; one merely studies them and compiles their commentary.From the first blog:

ankhesen, you wrote:

“People of color have gone through and still go through some shit in this country. Surprise, surprise…we’re angry. We’re hurt. And we are way more tired of this than white people will ever be.”

Based on your entire comment, it may be news to you, but most whites give zero thought to your anger and hurt. It’s simply not part of the daily schedule.

Meanwhile, you seem to be another complainer who beileves if it were not for the presence of whites, the world would be a swell place.

If, as I have stated before, there were ONE example of a successful black nation, the white world would have a much improved view of blacks. But the world is still waiting.

The patient presents symptoms of arrogance ("most whites give zero thought to your anger and hurt"), blatant denial in historical events ("if it were not for the presence of whites"; "ONE example of a successful black nation"), and delusions of superiority ("the white world would have a much improved view of blacks"). Patient focuses on blacks, which reaffirms the notion whites are particularly resentful of black people, more than any other group of color. Patient deliberately ignores events in African history such as invasions, slavery, and colonization.

ankhesen, you asked:

“When white people are being taught black people hate them…what the reasons they’re given? How do white family conversations like that go?”

The conversations go like this.

Don’t go to East New York or Bushwick or parts of Harlem late at night. You might get mugged.

Maybe you doubt that whites learn about blacks through personal experience. But we do. My personal experience includes muggings, assaults and murders. However, in the bigger picture of NY City, well over 90% of the violent crime is comitted by blacks and hispanics.

Patient presents classic symptom of desperation to vilify all POC (in order to maintain a perception with which he is comfortable) and erroneously believes that through these experiences ("muggings, assaults, and murders" [how many times does he recall being murdered?]) he knows about POC all across the country. Patient is obviously aware crime is not the primary subject of Abagond's blog about race, (it's a universal occurrence), but the everyday experiences POC have with whites regardless of location. However, when discussing crime, the patient deliberately avoids analyzing socioeconomic factors such as institutionalized racism in the areas of law enforcement, housing, occupation, and education.

Patient admits to self-segregation yet fails to attribute it to privilege. Patient doesn't exhibit any signs of having close relatives of color, several longtime friends of color, or a sufficiently long history of dating various people of color (approximately 7-10 years minimum). Yet despite these deficiencies, the patient is certain he is properly nourished when communicating with or about POC.

Patient is focusing on blacks and Latinos (but mostly blacks) while neglecting issues of Asians and Native Americans. This once again reinforces the notion that Asians are invisible, and that whites prefer to avoid thinking about or discussing Native Americans at all.

ankhesen, you wrote:

“If you can’t handle truth, then you are a cowardly weakling and you need to go back to “your” world where you can indulge the luxury of thinking none of this has anything to do with you.”

To be accurate and truthful, YOU must admit that you and a large percentage of blacks live in a black alternative universe. However, your refusal or inability to see the world as it is, rather than they way it appears in your alternative universe, will probably stop you from feeling as though you can get along in the real world.

You wrote:

“But if you choose to grow a backbone and stay, then you will have to face the price of your privilege, and no…it won’t be pleasant at all.”

Since you present yourself as a writer, you should write better. Unfortunately, you regularly butcher phrases — delivering gems like “face the price”. What’s that?

By the way, I read the following article to which your comment was linked. After finishing the article, it was clear that Robert Jensen, the author, is a world-class wimp.

Why White People Are Afraid
What do white people have to be afraid of in a world structured on white privilege? Their own fears.

Patient unsuccessfully attempts to dismantle the arguments of white privilege and self-segregation by referring to an "alternate universe" in which POC supposedly reside. The patient, while trying to portray an air of superior intelligence and perceptiveness, fails to understand three words, the longest of which have four letters and are no doubt taught to school-children--latest--by the age of four or five. The patient, despite his determination to "participate" in racial discussion, fails to grasp its basic tenet: white privilege comes at the expense of people of color.

After reading an article written by a white professor of journalism who clearly and honestly lists white fears (see below), the patient panics and rejects the professor's concerns and brands him a "wimp".

1) "...facing the fact that some of what we white people have is unearned."
2) "...fear of losing what we have -- literally the fear of losing what we own if at some point, the economic, political, and social systems become more just and equitable."
3) On whites becoming a minority: "Are non-white people capable of doing to us the barbaric things we have done to them?"
4) On being "seen-through" by non-whites: "What if they can look through our anti-racist vocabulary and sense that we still really don't know how to treat them as equals?"

Patient's symptoms of panic and resentment at reading this information confirm Jensen's theory of white fears.

From the second blog:

ankhesen, you wrote:

“So when I display anger of any kind at being propositioned, the icky creepy white guy in question becomes indignant and annoyed that I would dare reject him.”

How about describing one of these situations? Include the time of day/night, nature of the location and your attire.

You wrote:
“He demands to know “what my problem is” and why I have to “be like that”. It never seems to occur that he’s just done something horribly wrong; it can’t be him, ergo I must be defective or something.”

The attire of many young women would suit hookers working popular bar areas. Obviously hookers and non-hookders sometimes choose the same fashions.

I have been propositioned by enough black women to know that those who are hookers look the part. But I’ve also met some who are dressed in a more sophisticated way who are available for hire.

Patient read that black women are annoyed when random white males assume we are whores. He also read (but deliberately does not mention) that black women are also annoyed people constantly touch our hair and get angry when we are upset by the violation. Patient zeroes in on the first comment instead and deliberately leaves out 1) the report where I am inappropriately approached even when I'm out with another man, and 2) the report where my white male friends explain to me why white men do this. The patient then displays blatantly sexist symptoms by blaming the victim of sexual harassment. Patient can safely assume I do not dress or behave like a whore, but chooses to assume otherwise. He then relates his experiences with black hookers, when blacks hookers are clearly not the subject at hand.

Patient comfortably subscribes to the notion of the black female whore (possibly for maintenance of ego and confirmation of an otherwise neglected masculinity). Patient has abundant knowledge of how prostitution works in his local area; his sexist leanings hint possible indulgence in paid sex. Paying for sex would give him some authority over females. Patient's immediate leap to--and almost lengthy discussion of--"black hookers" also suggests fetishist tendencies and a possible history of rejection by black women who were not hookers. This would further explain patient's need to openly and repeatedly resent black and Latino males, who are notably more successful with black women (and white women as well).

ankhesen, you wrote:

“2) Privilege does make you racist, honey, and that’s the hard pill to swallow.”
I gather the preceding means Obama and his wife are racists. Interesting.
and:

“3) The first thing you can do is simply accept your internalized racism and then work to root it out. Insistently protesting your innocence is a waste of time, to be honest. ”

Ahhh. The Witch Trials have begun
and:

“5) A great psychological tip is stop identifying and praising people like George Washington or Thomas Jefferson.”

You’ve already lost.

and:

“You’ve got people like John Brown and Elijah P. Lovejoy and John Greenleaf Whittier and William Lloyd Garrison. Some of them died, were jailed, or nearly lynched for their beliefs.”

Believe what you want, but their role in American history and their impact on the future of the country is far less than the effects of Washington, Jefferson and the other Founding Fathers.
and

“6) Boycott films which misrepresent POC. Learn how they misrepresent POC, and then share that info with fellow whites.”

How would viewers know POC have been misrepresented?
Can you give an example of a movie misrepresenting whites?

The patient read my comment to another commentator on the subject of white privilege, which the Obamas clearly do not have (he also deliberately left off tip #1 on how to combat internalized racism). The patient admittedly reveres slave-owners, rapists (confirming patient's issues with black women & a drapto's classic pathological need for control), and genocidal advocates. As he did with Jensen, patient rejects anyone who shows bravery, thinks honestly, and sacrifices white privilege--strongly indicative of cowardice, selfishness, and denial, also requisites for draptoresponsia. He finally, and unintentionally, unveils yet additional ignorance, despite his certainty of his own correctness.

It's amazing how his attitude plays (reinforces?) this American attitude of victim blaming. It's never the dominant cultures fault. If *insert minority/marginalized group here* didn't act/look like/was so *insert negative descriptor* we wouldn't treat them the way we do. It's all really disgusting.

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